How to Learn Pet CPR

Common pets like cats and dogs can be resuscitated should they stop breathing, or should their hearts stop beating, with cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures, just like humans. Parents and caregivers often choose to become trained in CPR and first aid skills when they are caring for small children so that they can be prepared to perform lifesaving procedures, should the need arise. Similar principles apply to pets, and the American Red Cross offers classes and complete at-home courses in pet CPR that include extensive manuals and DVDs demonstrating the techniques.

Instructions

    • 1

      Look in your phone book or on the Internet to locate your nearest American Red Cross chapter. Chapter offices are located across the U.S., and CPR classes are offered at those chapters.

    • 2

      Contact your local ARC chapter and ask if it offers instructor-led classes on pet CPR and first aid. Your ARC chapter may offer a separate class on pet CPR or may offer pet CPR as a segment of a class on CPR and first aid for humans. Find out what the course fees are and decide whether you want to take the class in person with an instructor or on your own at home.

    • 3

      If you decide to learn pet CPR on your own at home, go to the ARC online store and order a copy of the ARC's dog or cat CPR and first aid manual, which costs just less than $20 and comes with an instructional DVD.

    • 4

      Watch the DVD and read the manual thoroughly. Observe how CPR techniques are performed and practice the techniques on a stuffed animal that is relatively similar in size to your cat or dog.

    • 5

      Periodically quiz yourself on the skills you learned so that you do not forget them. Use the ARC's "ABCs of Care" acronym to help you remember the three basic steps for human and pet CPR. Check the Airway (the "A") by looking at the animal's chest to see if it's moving, listen for Breathing (the "B") and place your hand near the animal's nose and mouth to feel for breath. If the animal is not breathing, pull its tongue back slightly, close its mouth and tilt its head back a little to open the airway. Administer four to five rescue breaths from your mouth to its nose, giving just enough air to make the animal's chest rise slightly. Finally, check the animal's Circulation (the "C") by looking for a heartbeat on a dog's inside rear leg or a cat's outside front leg.